June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LEONARD CLARK WELLS, JR., age 55, of 95 Quarry Knoll, Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced yesterday, November 28, by United States District Judge Janet B. Arterton in New Haven to three years of probation for using a telephone to facilitate the preparation of narcotics for distribution. Judge Arterton also ordered WELLS to perform 250 hours of community service.

On July 13, 2005, WELLS pleaded guilty, admitting that, in January 2005, he agreed during a telephone call with Quincy Hines to permit Hines to use WELLS’ residence to package a controlled substance for distribution to others.

WELLS was arrested as part of a federal investigation into a Fairfield County-based “crack” cocaine and PCP distribution ring headed by Hines. Earlier this year, federal and local law enforcement officers arrested 30 individuals in Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk, and Bridgeport as part of the investigation. Law enforcement officers also conducted searches of nine residences in Connecticut and New York and recovered crack cocaine, PCP, drug packaging materials, narcotics paraphernalia, and United States currency.

On March 9, 2005, a federal grand jury sitting in Bridgeport returned a multi-count Indictment against WELLS, Hines and others alleging various violations of federal narcotics laws.

In September, Hines pleaded guilty to two counts of an Indictment charging him with federal “crack” cocaine and PCP distribution offenses. He is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2006.